for some years in my black bantam cochin breeding pen..all chicks hatched on day 18...at first i along with others all thought my temp was too high in still air bator ..102*...so each batch of eggs id lower temp until i was hatching at 99*..no turntable no fan..just turning by hand..when i started paying more attention to broody hens ha:tching they also hatched on day 18....my rooster passed away at 14 yrs old...but even up until his death was producing 18 day hatch babies..new rooster is normal at 21-22 days.

The eggs that I hatched for the above breed, came from a guy that had BR's Astralorps, Road Islands, Orphingtons, and sussex.. with a little EE in there.. all together with several roosters.. thus the name of my designer breed